THE Weymouth community has rallied to remember ‘an eccentric gem’ who will be much missed.

Ivor Griffiths was well known in the resort and his death has led dozens of people to share fond memories on social media.

Borough Councillor Sandra West remembered a ‘charming, clever, eccentric man’ who would visit the Asda Weymouth store every day with his wife Pat, who died several months ago.

She said: “If you didn’t know him he could perhaps seem quite strange, but he was always so polite, calling people madam or sir.

“He was well-known for shouting out bits of random news and information, but one day we really got talking and he brought some photographs to show me of when he was training to be a priest. Sadly he had a breakdown and had to leave.

“He has been around the town for at least 15 years and was a real eccentric gem. We will all miss him a lot.”

It is thought Ivor met and married Pat quite late in life.

Cllr West added: “The people of Weymouth really took both of them to their hearts. It says a lot about the borough, that we care about people here. In a big city he may not have been known by anyone.

“The town is a sadder place for him passing. We won’t see his like again.”

Rob Vincent got to know Ivor through shopping at Asda, but said that much of his life remained a mystery.

He said: “He was very intelligent if you caught him on a good day. The only thing I really knew about him was his love of cigarettes, which I don’t think his wife approved of.

“Once when he was outside a supermarket waiting, she came out so he stuffed the cigarette in his pocket and the pocket caught fire.”

And Ruth Vaughan said: “He was a very proud Welshman and he always shouted ‘Bora da’ to me, meaning good day in Welsh, knowing I was Welsh. He was very knowledgeable and always followed what was happening in the world.”